Lock for mail-bags, trunks, boxes, and the like.



C. CASPER. LOOK FOR MAIL BAGS, TRUNKS; BOXES, AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAYB. 1914.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

uvudoz CHARLES CASPER, 0F BELTON. MISSOURI.

LOOK FOR MAIL-BAGS, TBUNKS, BOXES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.8,1 9f18.

Application filed May 8, 1914. Serial No. 837,163.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES CASPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belton, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Lock for Mail-Bags, Trunks, Boxes, and the like; and I do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact descriptlon of able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful locking device for mail bags, trunks, boxes and the like.

An object of the invention is the provision of a trough-shaped body member having a series of transverse bars, each rectangular in cross section, with which the transverse bars of the closure member cooperate alternately, that is, one between the other, in order to clamp or clasp two strands of rope, which pass longitudinally through the trough-shaped body member. This rope is formed intoa loop at one end of the troughshaped body member, and has its free ends terminating beyond the other end'of the trough-shaped body member. The loop of the rope is designed to pass about the neck of the bag, as shown in Fig. 2, or about a trunk or box or the like. To tighten the loop, the ends are drawn through the troughshaped body member, then the closure memher is thrown to a closed position to clench the rope between said bars.

'One of the features of the invention is the provision of an extension member of the trough-shaped body member at each end thereof, one of which has the closure member hingedly connected thereto, there being looped guides between said extensions and the sides of the body member. In reducing the structure of lock to practice, changes or alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed, may be made.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved lock showing the closure member opened.

Fig. 2 is an edge view, illustrating the lock as'applied to the neck of a bag with the loop of the rope about the bag, which is Shirred.

the invention, such as will en- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the locking device or clamp.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showingthe closure member in its closed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the trough-shaped body member having the side longitudinal flanges 2, and the end extension flanges 3 and 4, which are turned or rolled over as shown. The said extension flanges 3 and 4 have connections 5 with the end of the longitudinal flanges 2, under which connections and ad jacent the flanges 2 the strands 6 of the rope pass, there being downwardly extending. lugs 7 to hold the strands of the rope ad acent said flanges 2. Connecting the side flanges 2 are transverse bars 8, 9 and 10, which are rectangular in cross section. The extension flange 4 has a tongue 11 turned into a roll 12, to receive the pivot pin 13, which also passes through the rolls 14 and the ears 15 of the closure member 16, thereby pivotally mountin the closure member. The ends of the meta forming the rolls 14 are connected by the bar 17, which is riveted at 18 to the closure, which is also constructed With longitudinal side flanges 19 and the end flange 20. The flanges 19 and 20, when the closure is in the position shown inFig. 2 engage the edges of the flanges 2 of the body member. The closure is supplied with a loop or eye member 21, to pass through the opening 22 so as to receive the bolt (not shown) of the conventional lock mechanism (not shown) which is designed to be incased in the casing 23. When the loop or eye member 21 enters the opening 22 the usual form of key, as shown at 24, may be employed for locking the body member and the clamping member or closure. When the clamp or clo sure member is closed the transverse bars 25 and 26 assume positions alternately between the transverse bars 8, 9 and 10, and act to clamp or clench the strands 6 of the rope, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1

and 3. In this manner the'loop is held .drawn tight about the neck of the bag or the like. Transverse bar 25 connects the longitudinal sideflanges 19 of the clamping ber constructed from a single piece of sheet or closure member 16, while the bar 26 conq metal and provided with an integral marginal flange, the portions of said marginal flange at the opposite ends of the body having rope receiving openings in the corners of the body member, whereby parallel strands of rope may be disposed adjacent the longitudinal portions of said flange, said endportions of said flange having extensions spaced from and in parallelism with the bottom of the body, said extensions having integral connections with said longitudinal portions of said marginal flange, said extensions having spring lugs bearing against the parallel strands of rope to hold them in contact with said longitudinal portions of 1,2a2,sss

- the marginal flange,'a closure member pivoted to one extension and having its free end edge abutting the. upper face of the opposite extension, the inner faces of both members having clenchlng devlces arranged CHARLES CASPER.

Witnesses: T. P. GREEN, W. F. BURKHART.

20 in staggered relations for clenching the rope 

